1. Scope of Invention
This invention relates generally to a wristband for worker""s and handymen, and more particularly to an improved wristband for holding magnetically attractable objects such as screws, nails, nuts, bolts, washers and the like for convenience.
2. Prior Art
Workmen and handymen typically need more than two hands at once to effectively control and have available the various items and tools required for a project. The ready availability of small metallic work objects such as nails, screws, nuts, bolts, tacks, washers and any other type of magnetically attractable objects is many times inconvenient. They become scattered or are in an unavailable or inaccessibly reachable position just when other tool implements and work pieces are in alignment and requiring their availability.
Prior art does disclose other devices which are intended to provide a magnetic surface attachable to torso or wrist which will retain magnetically attractable objects in a convenient location ready for use.
One such invention is disclosed by Finnegan in U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,073. This invention is directed to a workman""s wristband which is releasably connectable around the wrist of the workman and having a central padded area including a small metallic surface for holding such metallic objects for convenience.
Another magnetic tool holder invented by Bosch and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,059 is generally directed to an apron having a plurality of sets of magnetic strips which are oriented toward the upper margin of the apron for attaching tools such as pliers and wrenches, along with other work objects such as nuts, bolts, nails and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,767 teaches a wrist mounted magnetic holder invented by Anderson which includes ceramic magnetic polarized magnets mounted in a holder for conveniently retaining small articles such as nails, screws, bolts, drill bits and the like. This device includes two distinct regions and a flux concentrator for increasing the magnetic flux density at the holding surface.
Another combined magnetic holder with armband is disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. 317,730 invented by Mo.
Several other prior art devices are known to applicant including portions which are magnetized by magnet segments included therein as follows. These patents are only remotely similar to the structure and function of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,858 to Zablotsky et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,143 to Nagler
U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,324 to Engel
U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,239 to Lopez
U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,280 to Chan
U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,568 to Stuner
U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,504 to Amani
The present invention discloses a utility wristband which is adjustably and releasably connectable around the wrist of the use and includes a plurality of magnetic bars which are oriented in spaced generally parallel side-by-side relationship and held between inner and outer flexible fabric panels for retaining small magnetically attracted metal work objects such as screws, nuts, bolts, nails, washers and the like for convenient access to a worker wearing the device. The preferred embodiment includes magnet bar orientation which will provide a convenient self-closing feature for compactness which also acts to partially shorten the overall length of the device should a worker using the device have a wrist of small dimension.
This invention is directed to a magnetic utility wristband for holding magnetically attractable metallic work items thereagainst for convenient access. The wristband includes an elongated flexible band sized in length to wrap around the wrist of a worker. End portions of the wristband include two-part releasably attachable hook and loop surfaces on corresponding overlapping inner and outer end portion surfaces whereby the band is releasably adjustably connectable only around the worker""s wrist. A plurality of elongated magnetic bars are held along a central portion of the wristband in spaced substantially parallel relation one to another transversely to the length of the wristband and between the outer and inner flexible panels by a plurality of transverse spaced stitch lines connecting said outer and inner panels to form individual elongated pockets each of which hold and position one magnetic bar. By preferred alternating surface polarity of adjacent magnetic bars, the devices may be shortenable for small wrist sizes and fully collapsible in accordion fashion for storage.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a utility wristband for holding magnetically attractable metal work objects such as screws, nuts, bolts, nails, washers, brads and the like in a convenient location for ready access to a worker wearing the device.
It is another object of this invention to provide a utility wristband for retaining magnetically attractable metallic objects against the outer surface of the wristband and also providing an automatic storing feature which compactly folds the device in accordion fashion into a convenient size for carrying in a pocket, apron or purse.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a utility wristband which will retain magnetically attractable objects on an outer surface of the device and which includes an automatically adjustable length feature by the preferred orientation of plurality of the spaced elongated magnetic bars contained between the inner and outer flexible panels of the device.